Preparation of flexible cables



June 2, 1931. H. w. WEBB 1,308,193

' PREPARATION OF FLEXIBLE CABLES FilQd NOV. 21, 1927 mum...

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Zlwuentoc Jaw/2 m i V J9 W Mi am? Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mm W. WEBB, OI FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB 1'0 A C SPARK PLUG 001mm, 01 FLINT, MICHIGAN, A COMPANY 01 MICHIGAN v v 1 rnnrana'rron or rmxmmcums Application fled November 21, 1927. Serial llo. 284,759.

This invention relates to flexible cables or shafting of the multistrand type, and has .particular reference to the type of shaft-ing used for driving speedometers of automotive 5 vehicles. h

' In the past some diflieulty and inconveniences have been experienced in properly shapin the end of the shaft so that it may be rea ily applied to the source of power and 1a to the instrument to be operated. The cables have had applied to their round ends the usual tips which have been secured b means of screws or rivets and the ends of t e cable have also been deformed so as to give the 16 individual strands a permanent set to prevent their unraveling, but these methods have not proved satisfactory. In addition, in giving the cable end the rmanent set, the individual strands have een weakened which ac- 80 cordingl weakens the shaft as a whole.

- It is object of the present invention to overcome difliculties of this kind and to construct a shafting which will have its end portion so formed that it will not weaken the shaft, and will readily lend itself to the application of the tip, or to the source of power or instrument.

The object of the invention is accomplished by heating, preferably between the two elec- 80 trio terminals, a short section of the cable and applying the current until a weld is formed, or the metal has been caused to adhere molecularly. The welded portion is then allowed to cool slowly causing it to anneal. While the metal is still in its heated condition, it is cut at the welded rtion in a machine having a knife whose e ges are so arranged that the individual strands of the wire will not project from the the out is made. a other words, the strands at' the cut will be drawn toward the core of the cable. v Theends of the cable lengths, whilestill in their heated condition, are then placed in a die so as to give the end a squared formation, the term squared being used to indicate not. only a four-cornered section, but any polygonal section. This squared section is preferably slightly tapered so that it may be readily inserted into the opening of a tip riphery at the end after which is usually applied to the end of the cable. TlllS 131p may be omitted and the squared end applied directly to the instrument or source of power.

It is within the scope of the invention to o m1t the squaring operation and apply the t1 dlrectly to the rounded end of the flexible ca le repared in accordance with the invention or the reason that it is old to apply a tip directly to a rounded cable end.

The invention'is disclosed on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a view of a multistrand flexible cable or shafting to which my invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a section through the cable taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 1s a side view of the electrical machme for heating or welding a section of the cable.

Figure 4 is a front view of the machine shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front view of the machine for cutting the cable.

Figure 6 is'a side view of the machine shown in Fi re 5.

Figure 7 s ows the die used for forming a -squared section on the cable.

. Figure 8 showsthe squared end section ready to be applied to a ti Referring to the numbered parts on the drawings, 10 indicates a conventional type of multistrand flexible cable or shafting havmg the central core wire 12 and the ,outer wires 14, 16, 18 and 20 wound thereon. These individual wound wires, it is to be observed, are wound on the core 12 in alternate opposite directions in order to give the pro r strength and stiffness to the cable and so t at the shaft will'have a minimum of torsional deformation for rated loads which is clally desirable for speedometer drive 811m, shafts for driving dental drills, or shafts for an other pgrposes for which a flexible drive ca le may needed.

The shafting 10 as it comes from the machine is in very lon lengths, and inorder to adapt it to the tra e for use on speedometer drives, dental drills, etc., it is necessary to cut it mto suitable lengths. .If out directly as taken from the machine, the individual windings 14, 16, 18 and 20 will unravel and leave a frayed end. It is, therefore, necessary to adopt some means to prevent the unraveling of the individual strands.

In Figures 3 and 4 is shown an electrical machine 21 having terminals 22 and 24 supplied with a current from a suitable source as shown at 26. The source of electrical energy 26 has the leads 28 and 30 which pass to the electrodes 22 and 24 respectively. The upper electrode 24 is secured to and suitably insulated from an arm 32 pivoted at 34 to an upright 36 forming a part of the base 38 of the machine. This arm 32 is provided with an operating handle 40 by means of which it may be raised to remove the wire 10 or lowered to bring the electrode 24 -into contact with a new section of the wire. The lower to electrode is rigidly mounted on and suitably air cooling.

The wire 10 is now passed to the cutter 42 shown in Figures 5 and 6. This cutter comprisesthe base 44 having an upright 46 at one end. To the upright 46 there is pivoted at 48' an arm 50 having secured thereto an operating handle 52 so that the arm 50 may be raised and lowered to permit of the'insertion and cutting of the wire. The base 44 has secured thereto a V-shaped knife blade or cutter 54, while the pivoted arm 50 has secured thereto a similarly shaped knife blade 56. The cutting edges of these blades are slightly tapered as shown at 58 inthe Figure 6 so that as the upper knife 56 is forced downwardly to sever the wire, the beveled edges will cause the individual strands to bend-toward the center and thereby prevent any pro ect1ng stub edges at the wire s periphery. Blades of this character are to be preferred because they will tend to draw the ends of the individual strands toward the center of the cable, although any suitable blade or cutter may be used.

If desired the welding machine 21 and the cutter 42 may beplaced in parallel ahgnment so that the wire may be passed lon tudinally from the welding operatlon to t e cutting operation.

The severed ends 60 of the wire are then placed in a die 62, preferably formed 1n two, parte64 and 66, as shown 1n Figure 7 and which may be placed in and o rated from any suitable machine. These e halves are forced together over the' relatively roundi welded end of the cable and are for the purpose of properly shaping the end of the length of cable so that it may be applied to the source of power or to the instrument. In Figure 8, I have shown the end 60 having a s uared section to conform to the correspondingly shaped sections 68 of the die halves 64 and 66. While I have termed the section a squared section, it is to be understood by squared is meant any polygonal section. The squared end of the shaft is preferably slightly tapered in order that it may be readily inserted in a tip. l

Referring to Figure 8, it will be seen that the squared end 60 is ready to be inserted into the tip 7 O, the opening 72 of which may be of any suitable shape. The shape ,of this opening is shown to be round in Figure 8, although it may be square or of any other polygonal formation. This tip is forced on by pressure and may be additionally secured in any suitable way.

After the tips are applied, the cable lengths are ready for use and may be attached to any suitable connection. While I have shown a tip for use in connection with the cable lengths, such tip is not necessary for the reason that the squared end of the cable or shafting may be applied'with equal facility directly to the instrument or source of power.

While I prefer to use the electrical method for heating the cable, it is to be understood thafi any other suitable heating means may be use I claim:

1. A new article of manufacture, a length of multistrand flexible cable or shafting having Welded squared ends.

2. A new article of manufacture, a multistrand flexible cable or shaft, and an electri cally welded squared end on said shaft orcable.

3. A new article of manufacture, a multistrand wire cable or shaft, and a welded squared end on said shaft.

4. The method of preparing multistrand wire cable or shafting consisting of heating a section of said cable or shafting to such a degree that the strands thereof molecularly adhere, and then cutting the section while in a heated state.

5. The method of preparing multistrand cable or shafting consisting of electrically heating a section of said cable or shafting until it adheres molecularly, annealin the section, and then cutting at the heate section while it is in the heated state.

6. The method of preparin multistrand cable or shaftin consistin of eating a section of said ca le or she. in until it adheres molecularly, annealing t e section, and then cuttin the section while still in its heated condition.

7. The method of preparing a multistrand cable or shafting consisting of welding a section of said cable or shafting, annealing the section, cutting the section while in the heated state, and then s uaring the ends.

8. The meth of claim 7, said squarin taking place while the ends are in a heated condition.

9. The method of preparing a multistrand cable or shafting consistin in welding a section of said cable or sha ing, annealing the section, cutting the section while in the heated state, and then squaring the ends while they are still in their heated state.

10. The method of preparing multistrand cable or shafting consisting of electrically welding a section of the cable or shafting, annealing the section, and then cutting the section while in a heated state so that there will be no projecting ends at the circum- 29 ference.

11. The method of preparing lengths of multistrand cable or shafting consisting of welding a section of said cable or shafting, cutting at the weld, squaring the cut ends,

and then fastening tips.

12. The method of claim 11, the cutting being performed while the cable or shafting is in the heated state and being accompanie by a drawing of the strands at the, place of 30 cutting toward the center of the cable of shafting.

13. The method of preparing multistrand cable or shafting consisting of electrically welding a section of the cable or shafting,

annealing the section, then cutting the section while in a heated state so that there will be no projecting ends at the circumference,

and then squaring the cut ends.

14. The method of preparing multistrand cable or shafting consisting of electrically welding a section of the cable or shafting, annealing the section, then cutting the section While in a heated state so that there will be no projecting ends at the circumference, and then squaring the cable or shafting ends while said ends are in a heated condition.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARTW ELL W. WEBB. 

